


A Gift From Doreus

by AshyGurl101



Category: The Deep (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26571577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshyGurl101/pseuds/AshyGurl101
Summary: Nereus sees an old friend for the first time in 6,000 years...
Relationships: Nothing romantic
Kudos: 10





	A Gift From Doreus

"Are we there yet?" Ant asked for the umpteenth time.

Kaiko sighed in exasperation. "Be patient, Ant. This is one of the most remote places in the world. It wouldn't be a good home for our Hippocampus Maximus if it weren't."

"That name sounds so boring. I wanted to call it 'Antzilla'."

Will chuckled. "Why 'Antzilla'? I think a better name would be—"

"We are not," Fontaine groaned, "calling this seahorse 'Someone's Name–Zilla'. It's not only a really dumb idea, but it isn't even a monster."

"It's also very rude to name a new species after yourself," Kaiko added. "People get a species named after them because other experts in the field think they deserve it. I'm also the only one on this sub qualified to name this creature. And it's just temporary until we can find out more about it."

"Good," Fontaine said, looking at her monitor, "because I don't think it's actually a seahorse."

"Technically, its body shape is more akin to a leafy sea dragon," Kaiko admitted.

"No," Fontaine emphasised, "I mean it isn't a seahorse."

"Careful, Fontaine." Ant said. "You're starting to sound like Nereus."

"Why is nobody paying attention?"

"Could you specify your point?" Will asked.

Fontaine groaned and rolled her eyes. "Speak of the devil and you shall hear the dreaded oars that pull the Rowboat Of Irritation." She walked to the middle of the bridge. "Up periscope."

"Who is it, Fontaine?" Kaiko asked.

"Everyone's favourite CEO of Mystery, Inc."

"What?" Ant ran to the periscope. "Mum, we've gotta surface. Hi, Mr Nereus!"

Kaiko opened the cargo bay and surfaced the Aronnax under the old man's rowboat. The Nektons all ran to welcome the unexpected visitor, some far more enthusiastically than others.

"Hello, Antaeus Nekton." Nereus waved cordially. "William. Kaiko. Fon, um, never mind."

"Why are you rowing around in the remotest part of the planet?" Fontaine asked.

"I was just in the area," Nereus explained unhelpfully. "Interestingly enough, you're just here as well."

"No," Ant piped. "We do this every year now. We're checking up on the Sea— ow! That hurt, Fontaine!"

"Fontaine, don't kick your brother. Ant, haven't we discussed this already?" Will interjected. Sternly. "The last time this happened?"

Ant turned red. "But Nereus is a Guardian. That's different. Why can't he know?"

Nereus smiled and put a reconciliatory hand on Ant's shoulder. "Why don't we discuss this inside? I'm sure there's a way to go yet."

"Great idea," Kaiko said. "We've still got a few miles to go."

‹oOo›

"Nereus should be allowed to see him," Ant voted. "He's a Guardian. We all do the same thing, but they were just here first."

"On the other hand," Fontaine drawled, "Guardians have a habit of sticking their shells in people's business."

Nereus smiled proudly as if Fontaine had complimented him. "I don't try to. You Nektons have a habit of crossing at major intersections. Wherever I go on purpose, you seem to be by accident."

"So it's completely coincidental that you're always around at the weirdest times?"

"Fontaine, aren't you a bit old to believe in coincidences?"

Fontaine rolled her eyes and turned back to her monitor. "I rest my case."

"Well, now that that's cleared up, could someone fill me in?" Nereus asked.

"Seeing as we're nearly there, I don't really see why not," Will said. "Kaiko?"

Kaiko deliberated, then nodded. "Ant, did you want to explain?"

"It's a giant seahorse!" Ant burst out. "Bigger than the Aronnax. Faster, too."

"It isn't a seahorse, then," Nereus pointed out.

"It does look a lot more like a leafy sea dragon," Kaiko explained, "and I only named it a seahorse temporarily."

"Good." Nereus sounded relieved. "It isn't a seahorse."

"Careful, Nereus. You sound like Fontaine did a while ago," Ant snickered.

"She was correct. It isn't a normal sea creature."

"Say that again," Fontaine requested, taking her headphones out.

"It isn't a normal sea creature?"

"The first sentence."

"I'm not sure yet, but I think I may have seen this species before."

"But I was right?" Fontaine pressed.

"What colour is this... seahorse?" Nereus asked cautiously.

Ant threw himself into the conversation again. "Blue. With stripes. I know because I rode it."

Nereus looked very intrigued. "You rode it, Antaeus? How?"

"I held on. But he carried Devil Daniels."

"Devil Daniels?"

All the Nektons simultaneously groaned and shot each other looks.

"He stole my catchphrase," Will sulked.

"He's a wuss and a liar," Fontaine complained.

"He zapped Big Guy," Ant growled.

"He was saved by it, too," Kaiko moaned.

Nereus seemed quite startled at the torrent of verbal abuse. "I take it he doesn't get along with you?"

"Ya think?" Fontaine pulled up a video. "Look at what he does. He calls himself a 'Monster Hunter', but he only hunts the most gentle creatures that wouldn't hurt anything. He made out like this seahorse had claws, but he used an axe to gouge pieces out of his boat. You only ever see it breaching, and that's because he electroshocked it!"

"Was he okay afterwards?"

"The seahorse is fine, Nereus," Kaiko assured him. "We brought it to this area and it lives here happily. No cameras."

"We're here?" Ant asked excitedly.

"Yep," Fontaine reported, "the tracker shows it's been all over this area. It hasn't left once."

"Well?" Will queried. "What are we waiting for?"

‹oOo›

"I'd forgotten how fast these were in comparison to rowing," Nereus commented from the White Knight.

"And you're not even using the 'Sailfish' upgrades," Kaiko replied smugly. "The Shadow Knight can do a hundred and twenty klicks. Fontaine, where is the tracker showing?"

The Mimic Knight spiralled slightly to the left. "Two miles over thataway."

"Race you all!" Ant shouted. He activated his sailfish mode and zoomed off. Fontaine quickly followed, starting a debate about how not all the kinks had been worked out of her Knight so it wouldn't count if Ant won. Kaiko stared longingly at the two children but kept pace with the rest of the adults.

"You want to race too?" Will asked, amused.

"No, I'm way too competitive. I'm happy with being the only one to beat a sailfish." Kaiko smiled and shook her head. The Swamp Knight careened in a wobbly loop.

"Are you okay, Kaiko?" Nereus readjusted his course.

Will laughed. "The Swamp Knight is steered by head movement."

"Is this one?"

"Mum banned it because she couldn't drive properly," Ant intervened. "And I won that by so much I almost lost."

"Did not! You haven't patted the seahorse yet!" Fontaine protested.

"I have now. Let me catch up!"

"Where is he?" Nereus asked.

"Heading towards you guys, actually. And we're moving faster. If you keep this route, we'll intercept in twenty-three seconds."

Nereus started moving faster as well. "I think I know who this is," he insisted excitedly. "I think—Oh..."

The huge seahorse glided into view and circled playfully around Fontaine. She spun around and laughed. Ant shot in from behind them. "Nereus, meet Big Guy!" He announced.

Then the seahorse saw Nereus and swam right to the White Knight. It made a thorough examination of it and brought one massive eye up to the glass.

Nereus whistled a short, three-note tune. The seahorse yelped and circled the Knight. Nereus whistled again and placed a large robotic hand on the seahorse's nose.

"Praesenti! It has been so long. Do you still remember me?"

The seahorse started at the comment and squinted at the Knight.

'Nyaaa?' it asked cautiously.

"Nyaaa, my boy, it is indeed Nyaaa. We have both changed over the years."

'Rooo?'

Nereus nodded. "It's me."

The seahorse perked considerably. 'Nyaaa!' it repeated, wagging its huge tail. 'Mooonl?'

"Yes," Nereus replied. "I think you are ready."

"Nereus?" Ant interrupted.

"What? Oh. Yes, Antaeus?"

"Are you talking to that giant seahorse?"

Nereus snorted indignantly. "Of course I am. Anyone could talk to him. I just wasn't sure he'd want to talk to me after all these years."

"You just had an intelligent conversation with a seahorse?"

"Well—"

"That," Ant proclaimed, "is awesome! Can you teach me to talk to Jeffrey?"

"But he tells me," Nereus gestured to the seahorse, "that you and Jeffrey have already mastered this type of communication."

'Kmmm!' the seahorse added. 'Szzz. Rhhh.'

"What!?" Nereus spluttered. "Where?"

'Ruuup.' The seahorse displayed its right flank for Nereus to inspect.

"I had no idea seahorses could make such a variety of sounds," Kaiko marvelled.

"They can't. Praesenti isn't a seahorse."

"What is he, then?" Will asked.

"Do you remember the Floating Place?" Nereus requested.

Fontaine suddenly gasped. "No way." She looked at the seahorse, eyes full of wonder. "No way!"

"Would you like to demonstrate with me?" Nereus offered.

Fontaine swam up to the seahorse's head. It playfully nudged the Mimic Knight onto its neck. Nereus swam behind Fontaine and they both waited.

Will made the connection first. "The plaque on the statue said it was a gift from your sister. It meaning the seahorse."

"The statue was also part of it," Nereus corrected. "But the real gift was something far more valuable."

"What?" Ant demanded.

Fontaine swam down to the others. Nereus patted its nose and it chirped happily.

"Could I borrow your Sceptre, Antaeus?"

‹oOo›

"Praesenti? Are you ready?" Nereus asked from the top of the Aronnax. The seahorse dipped his snout in the nearby water.

'Rurrr,' he replied. 'Nyaaa?'

"I'm proud of you. Antaeus?"

Ant took the Sceptre and dipped the end in the water. He held the glowing head out to the seahorse.

'Nyaaa? Moonl Oook?' he squeaked.

"Go on," Nereus soothed. "You'll still be the same."

The seahorse bent his head and touched the orb at the heart of the Sceptre. Both started glowing brightly, so brightly. When everyone could open their eyes again, the seahorse was gone. So was Nereus.

Will pointed at the Sceptre. "Incredible."

There, on the end, like it was there the day it had been carved, was a ninth symbol.

A symbol of the Monumential Seahorse.

**Author's Note:**

> Well THAT was nostalgic. I know added too much, but I couldn't resist making a jab at Kaiko's Swamp Knight driving, even though she's better now (can we just pretend that Ant changed it back as a prank for the day? Please?). Oh well...
> 
> One more thing. 'Praesenti' means 'present' in Latin (cuz Nereus is a goofball), but I guess you already knew that, and I will probably refer to this sea-dragon as Praesenti in all of my works.


End file.
